Each Student Receives $20,000 College Grant Based on Scholastic & Athletic Achievements
Reconfirms the Bank’s Commitment to Tennis and Local Community Involvement

New York, NY / Indian Wells, CA, March 12, 2025 – BNP Paribas, Europe’s leading financial institution and a global sponsor of tennis, today announces the winners of its 10^th annual BNP Paribas Open Scholarships to Nicholas Aguirre, Ashley Beltran, Jessica Ramirez, and Noriel Sanchez from the 2025 graduating class of Indio High School in Indio, California, not far from the tournament site.

This year’s scholarships are granted during the BNP Paribas Open and support each students’ pursuit of higher education. In order to receive a scholarship, each recipient must meet stringent requirements including impressive academic accomplishments as well as a personal interest and commitment to tennis. Each student will be awarded a $20,000 college grant at a ceremony at their school on Wednesday, March 12, as well as being recognized during an on-court presentation at the BNP Paribas Open later that evening.

José Placido, CEO of BNP Paribas USA and CIB Americas, said: “Tennis instills many admirable qualities in a person including pushing oneself to perform better and remaining committed. BNP Paribas as a leading global bank firmly believes in these principles and we see it as essential to inspire these traits in others, especially in up-and-coming young tennis players. I’m incredibly happy to be a part of today’s activities and awarding for the 10^th year to these four bright, young students scholarships which will help them accomplish their own goals. A hearty congratulations to Nicholas, Ashley, Jessica, and Noriel who have more than exhibited admirable talent and focus both in the classroom as well as on the court.”

Peggy Michel, Assistant Tournament Director of the BNP Paribas Open, also added: “This year’s group of scholarship recipients are an exceptional group of students who have each shown remarkable dedication to excelling in the classroom, on the tennis court and in their local communities. As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of these scholarships, it is incredible to reflect on the impact that these awards have had on individuals in the Coachella Valley, and I applaud BNP Paribas for their ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in our community. Nicholas, Ashley, Jessica and Noriel – a well-deserved congratulations to each of you, we look forward to following your successes for years to come.

Kelly May-Vollmar, Superintendent, Desert Sands Unified School District, said: “I am incredibly proud of the four Indio High School students who have earned the prestigious BNP Paribas Open scholarships. Their dedication on the court, in the classroom, and in their communities is inspiring. Congratulations to these deserving young leaders, and thank you to BNP Paribas for supporting local talent and investing in our students’ futures.”

Scholarship Winner Biographies

Nicholas Aguirre

Nicholas wants to study undergraduate and graduate school at University of California-Irvine and upon graduation, become a fully-licensed Accountant. He also has an interest in helping others and will apply his accounting expertise to helping under-privileged groups with their taxes. Nicholas has always pushed himself to take additional advanced classes outside of school and be involved with the school’s Renaissance excellence program, which includes community volunteering, as well as to become a member of the Varsity tennis team. He has maintained an excellent GPA after all this activity, including a 4.8 for the current semester.

Ashley Beltran

Ashley has a passion for learning and a drive to succeed. Her life’s goal is to attend the University of California where she would like to study Political Science and English, and would ultimately like to be elected a Congresswoman from California. Ashley is a proud first-generation Mexican-American and the first of her four siblings to attend high school, where she takes many Advanced Placement courses along with dual-registered classes at College of the Desert. Outside of school, she is involved with many organizations and clubs, including Reach Higher Club, Ophelia Project Program, and Girls Varsity Tennis where she is Captain of the team. Even with all these activities, Ashley maintains a 3.9 GPA.

Jessica Ramirez

During Jessica’s sophomore year, she traveled to Harvard University where she attended a mock trial workshop, which still inspires her to push herself and excel in many aspects of her life. Jessica stands out in the classroom with a 4.5 GPA, studying Geography, History and Math Honors. She has also won many awards including Girls Tennis DVL Singles Champion (2024-2025), Girls Tennis Singles MVP (2024-2025), and the Desert Sun newspaper’s Athlete of the Week, among many others. Jessica has been on the Honor Roll every quarter, awarded Student of the Month eight times, and achieved Summa Cum Laude with a cumulative 4.0 GPA. She is passionate about her volunteer work at Love & Love Tennis Foundation where she teaches young children how to play tennis.

Noriel Sanchez

Noriel’s goal is to achieve a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Californina-Irvine or San Jose State University, after which, he wants to apply to NASA to become a scientist and collect data on different planets. His other passion is tennis and he would like to design a cutting-edge tennis racket to advance the game. Starting with his Junior year, Noriel became more involved with his studies, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, as well as becoming more involved in tennis and different clubs, including California Scholarship Foundation, Reach Higher, and Interact clubs.

-ends-

Press Contacts:

BNP PARIBAS

Guy Taylor

Media Relations

+1 (332) 323-3704

Guild.Taylor@us.bnpparibas.com

BNP PARIBAS OPEN

Matt Van Tuinen

MVT PR

+1 (773) 860-5828

Matt@mvtpr.com

About BNP Paribas and tennis

BNP Paribas is a major partner of world tennis, with a historic commitment that began in 1973 and applies to all levels of tennis around the world – singles, wheelchair tennis, team and family tennis – from beginners to the biggest professional tournaments.

Professional tennis: Official sponsor of the French Open since 1973, Sponsor of three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells, Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome), the Open 13 Provence in Marseille, the Moselle Open in Metz and the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm (ATP250), the Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA500);
Wheelchair tennis: Title partner of the BNP Paribas World Team Cup; partner of the French Riviera Open, the WJP Challenge Tennis and the Swiss Open Geneva;
Junior and University tennis: Partner of the French Federation of University Sport and the BNP Paribas Master’U since 1993;
Amateur tennis: Sponsor of the BNP Paribas Family Trophy and the National Tennis Cup and partner with numerous amateur tournaments supported by the bank around the world;
Support for younger generations: BNP Paribas supports more than 160 young tennis and wheelchair tennis hopefuls in building their careers through its “Team BNP Paribas Jeunes Talents” programme in France (under the patronage of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in association with the FFT), the United States (with John and Patrick McEnroe), Belgium (under the patronage of Justine Henin) and Italy, Poland, Canada, Japan and Portugal. BNP Paribas has also been a partner in the selection of ball boys and girls at the French Open for 25 years.
Solidarity-based tennis: A driver of social projects linked to tennis alongside more than 20 national tennis federations and dozens of charities, based on a conviction that tennis is an even better sport when it is collective and geared towards young people.
- At the initiative of the “#FAAPointsForChange” programme in partnership with young Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime and the solidarity programme “Points For Change” for the inclusion of young generations through sport;
- Partner CityParks Tennis charity in the United States. This program in New York City provides free tennis lessons to more than 6,000 children between the ages of six and 16 within the five boroughs of New York City. The program is active in more than 39 parks across the five boroughs, including the BNP Paribas Aces Tennis Program for advanced junior players. The Bank supports hundreds of other community tennis initiatives around the world.
Sport in the workplace: The BNP Paribas internal tournament (We Are Tennis Cup) is one of the world’s leading corporate sporting events (3,500 participants each year with 2.5 million fans worldwide).
- In 2011, BNP Paribas created wearetennis.com – a platform dedicated entirely to tennis news, providing a constant flow of information covering players and tournaments around the world;
- The website and its associated social networks (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube) underscore BNP Paribas’ commitment to the world of professional tennis.
Also in the US, the Bank provides ongoing support toward the heritage and history of tennis through its sponsorship of the International Tennis Hall of Fame located in Newport, Rhode Island.

These various communications initiatives ensure that tennis is a fantastic vehicle for the brand image of BNP Paribas:

In 2023, BNP Paribas was considered the leading sponsor of tennis in the minds of the French (31% spontaneous recognition, rising to 48% among tennis fans). Source: CSA/2023
58% of tennis fans believe that BNP Paribas’ partnership with tennis gives a better image of the brand. Source: CSA/2023
7/10 is the score given to BNP Paribas by those familiar with We Are Tennis (i.e. 73% of tennis fans). This is 1.2 points more than for all French people. Source: CSA/2023

About BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is the European Union’s leading bank and key player in international banking. It operates in 63 countries and has nearly 183,000 employees, including more than 145,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group’s commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group’s performance and stability.

Since 2020, BNP Paribas has supported Canadian tennis player Félix Auger-Aliassime in the deployment of his #FAAPointsForChange humanitarian project in support of youth in Togo
Since its inception, BNP Paribas, has been a committed partner to #FAAPointsForChange, to support future generations, both in the world of tennis and beyond

New York, NY / Indian Wells, CA, March 10, 2025 – Since 2020, BNP Paribas has supported Félix Auger-Aliassime, a 24-year-old player ranked 18th in the world, in his commitment to building a better future for youth in the West African nation of Togo, his father’s home country. Félix Auger-Aliassime has pledged to donate $5 for each point he wins during the tournament and BNP Paribas will match it with $15 per point.

During the first five years of the program, money raised financed initiatives to improve the conditions of young people in the Kara region of Togo. The project focused on the protection of children’s rights and access to education and sport, benefiting more than 20,000 people.

At the beginning of 2025, Félix Auger-Aliassime, in collaboration with BNP Paribas, decided to enhance the program to support students who are further along in their academic careers, namely deserving students from disadvantaged rural backgrounds in their university academic journey.

Excellence scholarships will be awarded to 30 students enrolled in a bachelor’s or master’s program at the University of Lomé in Togo to cover their tuition and living expenses. The students will also benefit from mentoring programs and extracurricular activities, facilitating their studies and professional growth.

The main eligibility criteria for applicants will include academic merit, the student’s economic situation, their motivation to succeed, and their desire to engage and give back to their communities.

A selection committee will evaluate the applications and choose the 30 laureates after an individual interview. The scholarship will be awarded for one year and is renewable under the condition of maintaining good academic performance.

This program will be deployed with the logistical support of the King Baudouin Foundation, a public utility foundation that will collect donations and ensure their proper use by the local association “Les Salésiens Coopérateurs de Don Bosco.” Recognized in Togo since 2010, this association works for the development of children and young people in several regions of Togo. It will manage the student selection process, daily support for scholarship recipients, and the extracurricular mentoring program.

Félix Auger-Aliassime visited Togo at the end of last season to refine the details of this new program, in collaboration with BNP Paribas and various stakeholders. This year, Felix wishes more than ever to contribute to the future of young generations, especially the most disadvantaged, a commitment that echoes BNP Paribas’ corporate mission to support young generations worldwide to enable them to build a better future and live their dreams.

Félix Auger-Aliassime, tennis player ranked 18th in the world, said: “The involvement of BNP Paribas in this venture is essential. Together, we have been able to raise several hundred thousand dollars to support a cause that is close to my heart. For me, it is a great way to add meaning to my tennis successes and contribute to something close to my heart. I also hope to inspire other young people to give back, as I have been inspired by my family and other athletes.”

Vincent-Baptiste Closon, Head of Sponsoring Tennis for BNP Paribas, said: “The genesis of the project is based on our ambition at BNP Paribas to support those who want to make a difference and have a positive impact on the world. It is in this spirit that we met Félix, driven by the same desire to make a difference through his tennis career. Together, we have created a charitable initiative that goes far beyond sports. This project is part of a transmission approach: those who receive today learn to give tomorrow, creating a truly virtuous circle.”

-ends-

Press Contact:

BNP PARIBAS

Guy Taylor

Media Relations

+1 (332) 323-3704

Guild.Taylor@us.bnpparibas.com

About BNP Paribas and tennis

Professional tennis: Official sponsor of the French Open since 1973, Sponsor of three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells, Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome), the Open 13 Provence in Marseille, the Moselle Open in Metz and the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm (ATP250), the Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA500);
Wheelchair tennis: Title partner of the BNP Paribas World Team Cup; partner of the French Riviera Open, the WJP Challenge Tennis and the Swiss Open Geneva;
Junior and University tennis: Partner of the French Federation of University Sport and the BNP Paribas Master’U since 1993;
Amateur tennis: Sponsor of the BNP Paribas Family Trophy and the National Tennis Cup and partner with numerous amateur tournaments supported by the bank around the world;
Support for younger generations: BNP Paribas supports more than 160 young tennis and wheelchair tennis hopefuls in building their careers through its “Team BNP Paribas Jeunes Talents” programme in France (under the patronage of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in association with the FFT), the United States (with John and Patrick McEnroe), Belgium (under the patronage of Justine Henin) and Italy, Poland, Canada, Japan and Portugal. BNP Paribas has also been a partner in the selection of ball boys and girls at the French Open for 25 years.
Solidarity-based tennis: A driver of social projects linked to tennis alongside more than 20 national tennis federations and dozens of charities, based on a conviction that tennis is an even better sport when it is collective and geared towards young people.
- At the initiative of the “#FAAPointsForChange” programme in partnership with young Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime and the solidarity programme “Points For Change” for the inclusion of young generations through sport;
- Partner CityParks Tennis charity in the United States. This program in New York City provides free tennis lessons to more than 6,000 children between the ages of six and 16 within the five boroughs of New York City. The program is active in more than 39 parks across the five boroughs, including the BNP Paribas Aces Tennis Program for advanced junior players. The Bank supports hundreds of other community tennis initiatives around the world.
Sport in the workplace: The BNP Paribas internal tournament (We Are Tennis Cup) is one of the world’s leading corporate sporting events (3,500 participants each year with 2.5 million fans worldwide).
- In 2011, BNP Paribas created wearetennis.com – a platform dedicated entirely to tennis news, providing a constant flow of information covering players and tournaments around the world;
- The website and its associated social networks (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok & YouTube) underscore BNP Paribas’ commitment to the world of professional tennis.
Also in the US, the Bank provides ongoing support toward the heritage and history of tennis through its sponsorship of the International Tennis Hall of Fame located in Newport, Rhode Island.

These various communications initiatives ensure that tennis is a fantastic vehicle for the brand image of BNP Paribas:

In 2023, BNP Paribas was considered the leading sponsor of tennis in the minds of the French (31% spontaneous recognition, rising to 48% among tennis fans). Source: CSA/2023
58% of tennis fans believe that BNP Paribas’ partnership with tennis gives a better image of the brand. Source: CSA/2023
7/10 is the score given to BNP Paribas by those familiar with We Are Tennis (i.e. 73% of tennis fans). This is 1.2 points more than for all French people. Source: CSA/2023

About BNP Paribas

New York, Feb 05, 2024 – BNP Paribas is pleased to share it recently renewed and increased its loans to Grameen America, further solidifying the bank’s strong commitment to promoting social and financial inclusion. BNP Paribas’s relationship with Grameen America extends beyond financial support and is driven by the Group’s intent to reinforce positive societal impact.

Grameen America was founded in 2008, in Queens, NY, and has quickly become one of the largest microfinance institutions in the United States. As a non-for-profit organization, its mission is dedicated to helping underserved entrepreneurial women build their businesses, secure financing, and provide support that may not have been accessible otherwise.

As of December 2023, Grameen America has supported over 186,000 borrowers with more than $3.8B in loan capital through 27 cities across the country. Microfinance loans to organizations such as Grameen America, not only supports the development of small economic projects but also helps to open doors to emerging entrepreneurs seeking to elevate social initiatives and economic security.

Findings from a study conducted on Grameen America by independent research firm MDRC found that the Grameen America microlending model resulted in a reduction of measures of material hardship and an increase of credit scores and business ownership. The microlending program also improved participants’ feelings of overall financial well-being.

In 2017, BNP Paribas successfully issued its first credit line to Grameen America and has since demonstrated a fruitful partnership, for example the bank provided pro-bono mentoring to Grameen America’s employees at its head offices in New York.

The recent closing of a new microfinance loan in 2023 demonstrates BNP Paribas’s continued commitment to its longstanding relationship with Grameen America and the noteworthy funding it provides to low-income entrepreneurs. To learn more about Grameen America and its meaningful work please visit: Grameen America.

BNP Paribas has been financing microfinance institutions, building meaningful connections and providing access to credit in emerging countries since 1989. Consequently, reaching 2.9 million indirect beneficiaries through 1,2 billion euro in total loans. Last May, BNP Paribas also renewed for three more years its partnership with Grameen’s Creative Lab, a separate entity from the Grameen America that promotes a concept of having a “World of Three Zeroes”: zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions.

Press Contacts:

BNP PARIBAS
Guy Taylor
+1 (332) 323-3704
Guild.Taylor@us.bnpparibas.com

Claire Schiff
+1 (646) 634-4042
Claire.Schiff@us.bnpparibas.com

GRAMEEN
media@grameenamerica.org

About Grameen America
Grameen America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit microfinance organization dedicated to helping low-income women build small businesses to create better lives for their families. The organization offers access to loan capital, financial education, asset- and credit-building, and peer support to transform communities and advance financial mobility in the United States. Since January 2008, Grameen America has invested over $3.8 billion in more than 188,000 women entrepreneurs. Opening originally in Jackson Heights, Queens, Grameen America has expanded to 27 cities in Atlanta, GA, Austin, TX, Boston, MA, Camden, NJ, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Connecticut, Dallas, TX, Fresno, CA, Houston, TX, Indianapolis, IN, Los Angeles, CA, Memphis, TN, Miami, FL, Newark, NJ, New York, NY, Omaha, NE, Oakland, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Riverside, CA, San Antonio, TX, San Bernardino, CA, San Jose, CA, Trenton, NJ and Union City, NJ.

About BNP Paribas CIB in the Americas
Corporate & Institutional Banking (CIB) Americas serves over 3,200 Corporate, Institutional, Private Banking & Distribution clients through its: Global Banking, which provides sophisticated and diversified expertise in financing, cash management and financial advisory services for clients; Global Markets, which offers consistent client service and innovative solutions for investment, hedging, and financing opportunities across asset classes and geographies, as well as research and market intelligence; Securities Services, a leading global custodian and securities services provider offering multi-asset post-trade and asset servicing solutions for buy- and sell-side market participants, corporates and issuers; and Asset Management offering high value-added solutions to individual savers, companies, and institutional investors through a broad range of skills in four investment areas: Equities; Fixed Income; Private Debt & Real Assets; and Multi-Asset, Quantitative, & Solutions (MAQS).

Insider kicked off Climate Week NYC by naming its inaugural Climate Action 30, which identifies 30 of the top global activists, business leaders, scientists, community leaders, and others from around the world who are working toward climate and environmental solutions. Herve Duteil, Chief Sustainability Officer, Americas, was named to the list of 30 global leaders working toward climate solutions.

Originally published in GreenBiz

By Hervé Duteil, Chief Sustainability Officer, Americas for BNP Paribas

Sustainability in finance is not new. Responsible investing may date as far back as the 18th century Quakers or more recently the 1960s or 1970s in relation to the civil rights movement in the United States or the opposition to the apartheid government in South Africa. Around 2007, the term “impact investing” emerged.

The term “sustainability” is not new either. Its modern use was strongly influenced by the work of the United Nations in the 1980s. Then came the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals 2000. Can you number them? (There were eight.) Finally, in 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals appeared.

Yet, none of these initiatives made sustainability as universally pervasive as it is today — from corporations to media, civil society, governments and regulators. So, what happened? I would argue that as some banking pioneers introduced sustainability concepts into mainstream finance, the banking sector in turn introduced sustainability to the masses.

While banks have achieved at least one success — putting the topic of sustainability on the universal agenda — true success is achieved once we are on course to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement. Private-sector action has its limits. Corporations operate within markets; markets have rules; rules create incentives; and current incentives are largely skewed towards the short term while our climate challenge is a long-term one. Only systemic reforms, by way of public policy and regulations, can integrate the long term into our economic short term and create the business case for the entire private sector to act in ways that fully serve the public interest.

Systemic reforms may already be underway in the banking sector in several ways. One may argue whether emerging regulations come fast enough or go far enough, however, the banking sector is moving from a state of spearheading voluntary initiatives to being guided by systemic regulations around climate issues.

From voluntary initiatives …

COP 21 in 2015 led to the Paris Agreement, which serves as a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change. It mandated specific objectives to the financial sector. Notably, Article 2.1(c) establishes the goal of making “finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.”

In 2015, amid growing concerns over climate-related financial risks, the G20 asked the Financial Stability Board to review how the financial sector can account for climate-related risk. This has resulted in the industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Its recommendations were submitted in 2017 and require defining strategies in line with long-term CO2 emission-reduction objectives.

To meet these objectives, banks joined forces at national and international levels to create a common approach to tackle climate change and enable the transition to the green economy. This led to the creation of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) launched in April 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), in which over 100 banks have committed to aligning the greenhouse gas emissions caused by their financing activities with the trajectory required for a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

… to national and international regulations

Alongside corporate initiatives and collective action, burgeoning regulatory guidelines are imposing what a number of banks already have started to implement voluntarily. There have been several such developments in Europe, and France in particular, with similar trends around the world, from Asia Pacific to the Americas.

The European Commission set a carbon neutral goal by 2050 with interim targets. As part of the European Green Deal, the European Union (EU) set itself a binding target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. As an intermediate step towards climate neutrality, the EU raised its 2030 climate ambition, committing to cutting emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030. The EU is also working on the revision of its climate, energy and transport-related legislation under the “Fit for 55 Package” to align current laws with the 2030 and 2050 ambitions.

To achieve these goals, the EU expects strong commitment from all stakeholders in contributing to its targets, including from large companies. This is also true for individual member states such as France, where one of the main objectives of the “Climate and Resilience Law,” promulgated in August, is to meet greenhouse gas emissions’ reduction targets in line with the EU legislation and the Paris Agreement.

Furthermore, the 2017 French law on “Corporate Duty of Care” places a due-diligence duty on large French companies, requiring them to publish an annual “vigilance plan.” Those plans must establish effective measures to identify risks and prevent severe impact on human rights and the environment resulting from the company’s own activities (for banks, this includes their financing and investment activities), and the activities of companies it controls directly or indirectly (subsidiaries as defined by French corporate law).

In case of noncompliance, a court can order the company to comply with its vigilance obligations. A company’s liability can also be assessed by the corporate duty of care law — for instance, if the company’s activities caused environmental damages. As a result, the number of related court litigated cases has been increasing over the recent years.

In this context, it may be worth noting that the banking supervisory authorities from EU member states, including France, have started to account for climate-related risks. In December, the French Financial Market Authority and France’s banking and insurance sectors’ supervisor recommended that banks and asset managers “increase the clarity and precision of their sectoral policies for oil and gas, inspired by the work carried out on coal, and report transparently and consistently on their fossil fuel exposures, including the entire value chain and the broadest possible scope of business, among others.”

While details may be convoluted, implementation slow and more global coordination needed, one thing is certain: Systemic reforms are underway in at least some corporate sectors and pockets of the world.

As Margaret Mead, anthropologist and recipient of the Planetary Citizen of the Year Award, once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

[For more news on green finance and ESG issues, subscribe to our free GreenFin Weekly newsletter.]

To our esteemed legal colleagues:

Recent events involving acts of violence against Black people have dramatically focused our attention on racial and social injustice in all of our societies. As leaders of corporate legal departments in the financial services industry, we have come together as a group to denounce discrimination, in whatever form, and express our support for those who have been subjected to these experiences. We are grateful to our colleagues who have shared emotional and very personal accounts of their experiences in the hopes of fostering a broader understanding and bringing about a more inclusive culture in the workplace. In this moment, we face difficult but necessary questions about the persistence of racism as well as other forms of discrimination, and what further steps we can take in our departments and profession to drive change.

The advantages of having diverse teams in our departments are well documented. This has been a focus in the legal community for many years. However, we cannot rest on past efforts. Recent events impel us to increase our efforts, particularly with respect to racial and ethnic minorities.

Our commitments in this letter are by no means intended to alter or diminish a great deal of ongoing dedication and attention within each of our institutions to diversity and inclusion more generally. Nor will they reduce our efforts around other forms of diversity and inclusion; these remain just as important to us. However, in addressing and discussing recent events, each of us felt we wanted to make our own very personal statements by openly showing our level of commitment to tackling racism/promoting greater equality, just as we might do in our private lives. We understand the power of the collective in any form of civic engagement and equally we understand this as leaders in our legal communities.

To be clear, each signatory has developed its own diversity and inclusion initiatives in accordance with the goals of its broader institution. We choose to come together in this moment in the hope we can drive more substantial impact for our industry together than we might achieve individually. While we share here the collective commitments we aim to make, each of us will adopt or vary the specific commitments below as appropriate for our individual institutions, taking into account specific challenges based on geography, the demographic composition of its workforce and the legal and regulatory environments in which it operates (including the availability of underlying data).

Our shared commitments lie along three pillars: (I) Internal Action, (II) External Supplier Engagements and (III) Social Action Efforts.

Pillar I – Internal Action

We need to continue our efforts to provide opportunities to showcase talent and increase exposure of that talent to stakeholders with power to influence careers and prospects for advancement. To achieve this, leveraging the opportunities and initiatives across our organizations, we are committed to promoting diverse talent by:

Providing or enhancing platforms and opportunities to increase racially and ethnically diverse employees in leadership roles through cross-business and cross-practice area assignments, projects driven by senior leadership and talent development
Broadening involvement of racially and ethnically diverse employees in forums that identify high potential talent and determine
Ensuring inclusive hiring practices through diverse candidate slates for open positions, as well as diverse panels of
Creating or enhancing existing mentoring/reverse mentoring and sponsorship relationships to help navigate career challenges and as a means to developing powerful allies and advocates, partnering with law

Providing or enhancing regular diversity and inclusion training for legal department employees, to better equip everyone to participate in, and managers to proactively engage and effectively lead, diversity and inclusion efforts.

Pillar II – External Supplier Engagements

Just as we communicate our expectations to our law firm partners about the substantive services they perform on our behalf, so too must we continue to be clear about the importance of diversity and inclusion and our expectations around diverse staffing of our matters. We are grateful that our law firms and other legal services providers have partnered with us in diversity and inclusion efforts and will continue to support and encourage such efforts. To achieve this, we are committed to:

Deepening our understanding of the progress the firms are making with respect to advancement of racially and ethnically diverse employees and including such data among the factors we will consider in selecting external legal counsel. At the inception of new matters or upon review and renewal of panel determinations, we will meet with our law firm partners to discuss appropriate staffing, including utilizing diverse teams of legal professionals on our matters.
Continuing to explore increased opportunities for diverse attorneys to lead our matters and client relationships.
Identifying law firms and other legal service providers with racially and ethnically diverse ownership and considering these firms for our work in the hope of increasing engagements with these firms.

Pillar III – Social Action Efforts

To have an impact externally, we want to use our role as members of the legal profession to address issues faced by under-represented communities. We also want to ensure long-term support systems and networks to which developing attorneys may return, time and again, for guidance and coaching throughout their careers, with the overriding intention to increase the pipeline of talent. To achieve this, we are committed to:

Ensuring availability of a broad range of pro-bono opportunities that are focused on addressing issues that arise from social or racial injustice and inequity and encouraging broad engagement from our employees.
Establishing or expanding internships, networking, or other programs that support lawyers from backgrounds that may be underrepresented in the profession – partnering with law firms and other third-party organizations.

In conclusion, our culture and what we value and promote in our departments must recognize and account for the full breadth of talent, styles and perspectives, including those who are racially and ethnically diverse. Our profession will be better and stronger for our having done so.

Today more and more corporations are developing corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies that take into consideration factors such as sustainability and the impacts of their actions. BNP Paribas has made CSR a focal point of its business strategy, embedding it into its operations and well as investment and financing strategies. The bank also fosters an environment of diversity and inclusion and encourages employees to take leading roles in its CSR efforts and civic initiatives. For its impressive efforts and accomplishments in these areas, Cardrates.com has recognized BNP Paribas with its Editor’s Choice™ Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

Learn more at: https://www.cardrates.com/news/recognizing-bnp-paribas-corporate-social-responsibility-efforts/

Formation of U.S-based alliance by Bloomberg will support global mobilization of private capital in response to climate change concerns

New York, December 6, 2018 – Today, during the inaugural Sustainable Finance Week in New York, BNP Paribas announced that it is one of the 15 founding members of the U.S. Alliance for Sustainable Finance (USASF), aiming to drive investment in clean energy and climate resilience projects across the U.S. The alliance will provide the resources and expertise needed to identify and streamline existing climate-finance initiatives, encourage greater transparency across climate-related financial risks and opportunities, and ultimately, drive more capital to sustainable investments.

USASF’s founding members include Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Citi, Crédit Agricole CIB, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Macquarie Group, Morgan Stanley, Neuberger Berman, Nuveen, S&P Global, Trillium Asset Management, and Wells Fargo. The USASF will also join the global network of Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) convened by the United Nations Environment Programme.

“As one of the 15 founding members of USASF, BNP Paribas believes that this alliance will stimulate further climate-friendly and sustainable finance innovation across the U.S. capital markets,” said Jean-Yves Fillion, CEO of BNP Paribas USA and Chairman of CIB Americas. “We are confident that the financial services industry can help be a positive force for change due to its central role in financing the economy, and we look forward to working with the USASF to meet the Paris Agreement targets.”

BNP Paribas is committed to financing sectors that have significant positive impacts on our society. As of June 30, 2018, BNP Paribas had over €1 billion of commitments in support of social entrepreneurship and microfinance, serving approximately 1,500 clients and partners. In addition, as of the end of 2017, BNP Paribas had arranged €155 billion of financings directly contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the U.S., BNP Paribas announced in October that it was an anchor investor in a $5.1 million project for Veterans Coordinated Approach to Recovery and Employment (“Veterans CARE”), a Pay for Success initiative to improve employment outcomes for Veterans with service-connected PTSD.

For more information regarding the USASF, please visit: https://go.bloomberg.com/events/usasf/

Press Contacts BNP Paribas USA

Keely Gispan +1 332 323 3705 Keely.gispan@us.bnpparibas.com

Guy Taylor +1 332 323 3704 guild.taylor@us.bnpparibas.com

Follow us on Twitter: @BNPPamericas

About BNP Paribas USA

BNP Paribas has built a strong and diversified presence in the United States to support its client base. The bank employs close to 15,000 people and has had a presence in the USA since the late 1800s. Bank of the West serves over 2 million individuals and small & businesses through a network of around 600 branches and business centers. Large corporate and institutional clients are serviced by BNP Paribas’ Corporate & Institutional Banking franchise that has a presence in the main US cities, in addition to a global reach through a network of offices in EMEA and APAC. The bank also offers asset management services through BNP Paribas Asset Management as well as Real Estate and Fleet Services through partnerships. The Bank owns an equity stake in Nasdaq-listed First Hawaiian Bank which was previously 100% owned by BNP Paribas. www.usa.bnpparibas

About BNP Paribas Group

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 73 countries, with more than 196,000 employees, including around 149,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realize their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the European leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. www.group.bnpparibas

BNP Paribas Named World’s Best Bank for Sustainable Finance in Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2018

London, Paris – 12 July 2018 BNP Paribas is the world’s best bank for Sustainable Finance, according to the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2018.

In granting this award, Euromoney underlined the significant steps taken by BNP Paribas aimed at having a positive impact on society.

Helen Avery, Sustainable Finance Editor, Euromoney said: “BNP Paribas has committed itself to sustainable finance in a way that is unmatched in the sector. By turning down deals and pulling out of sectors that are not sustainable, as well as driving new sustainable finance initiatives across all of its businesses.”

In particular Euromoney highlighted the Group’s decision to cease financing of oil and gas from shale and oil from tar sands, and its decision to cease financing and investment activities of tobacco companies. At the end of 2017, BNP Paribas had allocated 155bn euros towards financing projects which contribute directly to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Jean Laurent Bonnafe, CEO, BNP Paribas said:

“We are delighted to be recognized by Euromoney in their annual awards for excellence. At BNP Paribas, we put sustainable finance at the heart of our business model. We believe banks have a crucial role to play, leveraging our place at the center of the economy, in order to bring together individuals, businesses and investors to channel resources towards projects which address the major social and environmental challenges facing society.”

“I would like to thank our clients and partners who entrust us with their projects and who have challenged us to provide new solutions as they also seek more sustainable models. And I would like to thank our staff who are passionate about having a positive impact in their work and have been a key driver in the bank’s focus on environmental and social issues.”

BNP Paribas was also recognized in the following categories:

Best Bank for Sustainable Finance, Western Europe
Best Bank, Luxembourg
Best Investment Bank, France

Press contacts

Alexandra Umpleby – +44 20 7595 2436 – alexandra.umpleby@uk.bnpparibas.com
Coralie France-Savin – +33 (0)1 40 14 94 89 – coralie.francesavin@bnpparibas.com
Claire Helleputte – +33 (0)1 55 77 89 63 – claire.helleputte@bnpparibas.com

Notes to Editors

About BNP Paribas

About Euromoney

For almost 50 years, Euromoney has been the leading publication for covering the growth of international finance. Over the last 12 months, its coverage has included interviews with close to 100 bank CEOs, ministers of finance and central bank governors around the world. Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence are the awards that matter to the banks and bankers who matter. They were established in 1992 and were the first of their kind in the global banking industry. This year, Euromoney received almost 1,500 submissions from banks in an awards programme that covers 20 global awards, more than 50 regional awards, and best bank awards in close to 100 countries.

UN Environment and BNP Paribas have today signed a milestone agreement at the One Planet Summit to establish Sustainable Finance Facilities, collaborative partnerships aimed at raising development capital to drive sustainable economic growth in emerging countries.
UN Environment and BNP Paribas will collaborate to identify suitable commercial projects with measurable environmental and social impact, with a target of capital funding amounting to USD 10 billion by 2025 in developing countries.
The aim is to support smallholder projects related to renewable energy access, agroforestry, water access and responsible agriculture among other sustainable activities.
The Sustainable Finance Facilities programme is the first of its kind in terms of collaboration between companies, investors, development sector partners and civil society organisations, with the support of national governments.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today between Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme and Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas at the One Planet Summit under the patronage of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. This landmark agreement is fully in line with both UN Environment’s and BNP Paribas’ commitments to developing meaningful and sustainable projects addressing environmental and social challenges in emerging countries.

This agreement builds on the Tropical Landscapes Financing Facility, a partnership between UN Environment, BNP Paribas, World Agroforestry Centre and ADM Capital in Indonesia.

UN Environment and BNP Paribas will scale the collaborative effort by establishing Sustainable Finance Facilities in many more developing countries, with a target capital funding amount of US$10 billion by 2025.

Through sourcing funding from third-party global investors, and arranging and issuing green loans, Sustainable Finance Facilities will help channel finance from the private sector to fund sustainable economic development in emerging countries.

Projects focused on rural smallholder productivity enhancement, rural renewable electrification and forest landscape restoration and protection will support national climate and sustainable development commitments, build climate resilience and help countries and communities achieve targets for food, water and energy security. Projects will recognise the vital role of relevant stakeholders, in particular women, indigenous peoples and local communities in all areas of sustainable growth and the need for their full and effective participation.

The projects could include the restoration of degraded agriculture landscapes through agro-forestry, the improvement of small-holder agriculture or renewable energy investments in rural areas, in particular to replace charcoal. Climate-smart agriculture, stopping deforestation and restoring forests and landscapes at significant scale could together contribute over 30 per cent to the achievement of the Paris Agreement.

BNP Paribas will continue to act as the capital markets adviser and structuring adviser to Sustainable Finance Facilities as they are established, and will bring institutional investor capital to participate in the programme.

UN Environment will ensure that environmental and social impacts of projects are positive and significant, and are at the heart of the work of the Sustainable Finance Facilities.

With this agreement, signed at the One Planet Summit, BNP Paribas reinforces its commitment to bringing pioneering financial solutions at scale and helping the UN achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas, said: “As an international bank, we consider it our duty to contribute to a better future. We have a role to play in leveraging our place at the centre of the economy, where we not only take action ourselves, but also bring diverse players to direct financial capital to projects that address the issue of climate change and more broadly, sustainable economic development. We have a particular responsibility to direct this financing to developing countries and vulnerable populations. While some projects may seem to be on a small scale, we must not forget that collectively, these initiatives can make a considerable difference to improving the environment, biodiversity or social development. This agreement marks a new way for governments, businesses and institutions to work together to co-develop solutions.”

Erik Solheim, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: ““The largest untapped potential for climate action is in how we manage our land and soils. The partnership with BNP Paribas sets a signal to the finance industry that ‘business as usual’ is not an option anymore. We need to design sustainable agriculture and forestry in a way that solves the climate crisis, rather than contributes to it. Right now, less than 3 percent of climate finance, public or private, goes to sustainable land-use – and yet it can be more than 30 percent of the solution. We need a tenfold increase in climate finance that goes to sustainable land-use.”

About BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 74 countries, with more than 192,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance.

In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the European leader in consumer lending.

BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.

About UN Environment

UN Environment is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UN Environment works with governments, the private sector, the civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.

About the TLFF

The Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility (TLFF) aims to ‘leverage private finance for public good’ by scaling up investment in landscapes resulting in enhancing the ‘GDP of the Poor’ achieved through sustainable production of agricultural commodities, and improved smallholder productivity with reduced deforestation in Indonesia.

The TLFF was launched by the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia on 26 October 2016, based on a partnership between UN Environment, BNP Paribas, ADM Capital and The World Agroforestry Centre, receiving strong support from the Indonesian government to create a mechanism to access and deliver private sector capital enabling the country to meet its significant development and climate targets. The objective is to support closing the USD 20bn funding gap in Indonesia for projects with significant environmental and social impact which are critical to securing long-term economic prosperity.

Press Contacts

UN Environment
Florian Eisele – Florian.Eisele@unep.org +352. 691 588 863

BNP Paribas
Julia Boyce – julia.boyce@bnpparibas.com +33 (0)1 43 16 82 04
Coralie France-Savin – coralie.francesavin@bnpparibas.com +33 (0)1 40 14 94 89
Renato Martinelli – renato.martinelli@bnpparibas.com +33 (0)1 58 16 84 99
Claire Helleputte – claire.helleputte@bnpparibas.com +33 (0)1 55 77 89 63